Hundreds honor fallen servicemen in 2nd annual run in Rye

RYE — Odiorne Point State Park in Rye was the jumping off point Sunday for several hundred people taking part in the second annual Run For the Fallen NH.

Volunteer Fran Lefavour of Newmarket said "there are over 200 runners or walkers and more than 225 family members that will be here in the course of the day. We have approximately 100 volunteers as well."

Along the 12-mile course, participants had an opportunity to thank family members and friends standing near posters of their fallen heroes. Trolleys circled the course so that everyone did not have to walk or run the 12 miles. At the end of the run, they all queued up at the boat basin and went en masse to the park.

Waiting for them at the park were the families and friends of the Fallen, plus a sumptuous repast donated by Carrabbas Italian Grill of Bedford.

Situated under a large tent were a large number of tables filled with those recognizing the fallen. Joanne Pemberton was a volunteer. "I am a Blue Star mother, my son served in the 82nd Airborne during the 9-11 period and he is home and discharged. I am so happy, we literally dodged a bullet."

On a site adjoining the tent alongside the ocean were 67 posters along with American flags attached to stakes. "The flags blowing in the breeze on that site are striking," said Louis Ferriera of Newburyport. "I served in Vietnam," said Ferriera "and when I heard of this I had to come and honor all those Granite Staters that have been lost."

Avid road runner Julie Hurrie of Hampton Falls was the initiator of the event.

"I had run in one in Maine that honored the fallen, and discovered that other states were honoring theirs but New Hampshire had none, so, with my friends Fran Lefavour, her daughter Nicole, and Cindy Blodgett we put this together last year. This year is bigger and we can only see it growing. It is so heartwarming to see the turnout honoring our Fallen Heroes," she said.

The family of Lance Cpl. Michael Geary of Derry was in attendance. Geary, a Pinkerton High School graduate was lost at the age of 20 in Afghanistan.

"This is fabulous, humbling," said Geary's mother, Nancy, in attendance with some 20 family members. "It makes you feel like you are not the only one, it is so comforting." While talking, Nancy noticed butterflies in the area and stated "everywhere we go we see them and sometimes I think it's Michael being with us."

Each table had small cards with reminiscences written. "Nick loved to play the guitar," "Marci Ann loved to sing and write poetry" were some of the many tributes. Each family received a booklet naming all the fallen and giving a biography

Afterburner, an Air Force Band, played for the entertainment of those in attendance.

With the strains of a live bagpiper in the background, family members of the fallen could be seen chatting with their counterparts.

"A very warming scene," said Newmarket's Lefavour. "I am so glad we are doing this."